You and Me
by Calmer of the Storm
Summary: Just a little piece of Kranna fluff...Kratos finally realized that there is more to the woman he has fallen in love with than meets the eye.


Calmer of the Storm: Soooooooooooooooo I'm back with another oneshot…

Cody: Why don't you just finish that story? You're going to get yourself flogged by angry readers.

Calmer of the Storm: Uhhhhhh….I'll post this after the next chapter

Cody: -rolls eyes- She'll never learn….

Calmer of the Storm: -smiles innocently- I don't own Tales of Symphonia. If I did, Anna would have mysteriously come back to life and…well, that's about the only change I'd make :D But, sadly, just as the rest of us on here, I don't…so I can only resort to fanfiction and fanart to appease my longings…

Cody: -sighs- There she goes again…

Calmer of the Storm: Oh! This is a song fic, and will contain spoilers. So if you haven't finished the game, DON'T READ IT. Unless you don't really care. This is my…third song fic? Maybe fourth, I don't even know any more. The song is 'You and Me', by Lifehouse. I don't own that either. So yeah…here goes nothing…

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The mercenary's body heaved with a sigh as he sat himself down on a vacant chair in the room he was currently in. Closing his eyes he put his hand to his head; he wished for silence. However, in a room full of people, something like that just wasn't going to happen. One would think that after all these years he would get used to such things, with his heightened senses and all, but there were times when everything just seemed unbearable.

This was one of those times.

That woman…Anna…she had dragged him here. Her power over him was like nothing he had ever known before, and it frustrated him to no end. She would get these silly ideas in her head, and then insist that they be carried through. Of course he would outright refuse, but then she would only whine and complain until she got her way. Kratos knew that if he really got angry she'd be quiet about it, but she seemed to have figured out ways to push his buttons, and press him until he bent to her will. He mostly did it to shut her up, but there was also something else in there…something that said that he really did wish to please her.

And he regretted it every time. This was mostly because she was more of a social creature, very much unlike himself. Her ideas usually consisted of some outing of a sort. Kratos just didn't like people. Why couldn't she see that? Or perhaps she did, and she was insistent upon changing his ways. Well, that would certainly never happen.

Then again, he had fallen in love with her, had he not? His eyes had easily picked her out of the crowd. It was small, but he could still see it. For a moment he stopped to think. Was he crazy for doing what he had done? He had abandoned all that he had known, and put her and himself into mortal danger. His gaze was fixed on the tiny, gold band that rested on the fourth finger of her left hand. The diamond that decorated it was simple, but she had insisted that it was what she had wanted. Money was not an issue for him, given his position, but she had wanted that one.

And apparently she was intent on showing it to all her friends. Including her ex-boyfriend, who had gotten himself married during her stay at the ranch. He regretted it…Kratos could tell this just by the way that he looked at her. Well, he didn't blame him.

They were in Luin again for a short time, and she was visiting with friends. There was a party at the local tavern, and she was intent on going, with or without him. Of course she had informed him that the consequences would be dire if he didn't show up at her side. So really he didn't have any say in the matter. That, and he knew that they were very close to the ranch and Kvar, and the Desians could show up at any minute. Kratos would never forgive himself if something had happened to her while she was away from him simply because he was anti-social.

But, then again, things turned out as they always did. At the start she had paraded him around, showing him off to all her friends. Especially Gregory, from whom Kratos felt much envy. Anna had been quite hurt by the whole thing, and she wasn't afraid to rub it in. She was not a very subtle woman, he had come to learn. The whole ordeal had been exhausting, because she expected him to actually talk to these people. What reason did he have for that? He only spoke if there was a need, and he didn't see one. Finally, after the torture, she had allowed him to part from her side and find a place to rest. He'd rather deal with a myriad of monsters than this…

As he sat there, his mind began to wander. His gaze remained fixed on her, though he thought of other things. He thought of what exactly he was going to do with her; he knew he had to find the materials to make a rune crest for her. He had heard rumours of a Dwarf near the village of Iselia. Perhaps he would have something. Normally Kratos would have full access to such things, but he wasn't exactly on good terms with Mithos at the moment, and waltzing into Welgaia probably wouldn't do any good for him or Anna. He had to do this the hard way. Hopefully there would be enough time for that. The crystal was still at work, feeding off her body and growing stronger with each passing day. He himself was amazed at the process, and realized the potential power it had. If Kvar ever got his hands on it, the result would be detrimental. Not to mention he would lose her, which was something he was not willing to deal with.

As he thought of these things, he found that his thought pattern eventually returned back to the woman. She was engaged in conversation with two other women who appeared to be about her age. Blue eyes shone with excitement, and there was a bright smile on her face. Her lips were moving, but he didn't care to concentrate hard enough to hear what she was saying. Every once and a while, however, her laughter would ring out and he would catch it. It was like music. It was at that moment that all seemed to stop for him. For all the times he grunted and groaned about being around her constantly, it was these times that made him realize what it really was all about. Kratos loved her, though there were few moments when he would actually say it. These things…these emotions…they were still new to him. At the very least, he was having to learn what it meant to be human all over again.

All of a sudden, time itself stood still.

_What day is it _

_And in what month _

_This clock never seemed so alive_

For a man who had lived for over four thousand years, moments like this were quite rare. In fact, he couldn't remember the last time it had happened. Perhaps it never had. For a moment he didn't even know where he was…what time it was…even the circumstances that plagued them seemed to fall from his shoulders. A stoic look had come across his face, although that wasn't much different from usual. But he was all of a sudden so enthralled by her. A pang of guilt rang through him as he realized that he hadn't nearly been the man that she deserved. She had been so forward with him, and he had given her nothing. A few words here and there, but nothing more. How was it that she saw so much in him? All of this time he had wasted…in fact, he had wasted four thousand years. He didn't deserve such a life, and he was beginning to realize this. And Anna was such a vibrant young woman, and her lifespan was indefinite. She could succumb to the pulls of the crystal at this very moment.

Time was short, and he was not making very good use of it.

_I can't keep up and I can't back down _

_I've been losing so much time_

He watched as she twirled around once, the reason unknown to him. She wore a simple dress, and even though she preferred not to wear them, she had told him that tonight was a special night, and she had to look good. _'She always looks good…'_ was the thought that came to mind now. Of course, he had said nothing at the moment. Why? Was it because he was too proud to become human? Was he so set in his ways that they were 'inferior beings'? Or was he afraid of something? They were getting married…what was there to be afraid of? Perhaps it was that he knew something could go horribly wrong at any moment, and he really didn't want to get too attached. But marriage was pretty attached…however, one could get married and never put their heart into it. Never before had he put his heart on the line. Maybe it was time he risked himself for once. She had given him no reason to doubt her.

Almost as if on cue, she flicked her head back, seemingly to check on him. Blue eyes met sepia ones, and she flashed him a smile that he knew was his alone. Chestnut hair tumbled across her shoulders and down her back; a change from her customary ponytail. And then all the people around him seemed to disappear. Through all of the distractions and his enhanced senses, she was suddenly the only one in the room, other than himself. The phenomenon was very strange for him, and yet he hoped desperately that it wouldn't change. Even when she turned back to her friends, he still found that they were the only ones there. She even shifted, making her way through the masses…and still he could only see her.

_Cause it's you and me and all of the people _

_With nothing to do, nothing to lose _

_And it's you and me and all of the people and _

_I don't know why I can't keep my eyes off of you _

He wasn't even sure how much time had passed, but suddenly he became aware of her lithe figure coming towards him. Kratos sat up, for he had been sitting with his elbows on his knees. A smile played upon her lips, and a few strands of her hair had fallen into her face. Her cheeks were flushed a little, and in the dim light she seemed to glow. A part of him wanted to tell her just what he was thinking, but for some reason, the words just wouldn't form. Finally she was standing directly in front of him, and her head was tilted downwards so that she could meet his gaze.

"You just going to sit here all night?" She asked, tone surprisingly light. Her voice held an inquisitive innocence, which was not typical of her. A more direct approach was her usual style, but she seemed to have picked up on something.

For a moment he just looked at her, unable to actually say anything. Were he in any other state, his answer would have been a simple 'yes', and that would have been the end of it. But this time he just didn't feel that it was the appropriate answer. And for the first time in a long time, Kratos Aurion was stumbling for words.

"…I suppose not." Came the answer, finally, though it lacked the usually curtness. His tone was warm, something that she immediately picked up on. His face had softened considerably as well. Anna didn't know what had brought about the change, but she wasn't going to ask about it, for fear of causing him to revert back to his usual self.

"Well then, you'll just have to come with me, won't you?" Surprisingly enough, it was a genuine question.

His eyes lifted to meet hers directly, and he swallowed. Another lapse of silence fell, but Anna was patient for once.

"I wouldn't spend my evening with anyone else." It was soft, almost inaudible, but he had not torn his gaze from hers as he spoke it. It had taken him a moment to actually think of the right words to say. And now he just didn't know what to do with himself.

_All of the things that I want to say _

_Just aren't coming out right _

_I'm tripping on words, you got my head spinning _

_I don't know where to go from here_

Something in her eyes changed as he spoke. Romantics weren't his forte, and the small, kind words were far and few between. However she sensed something different about this moment. Anna suddenly felt like a schoolgirl who had just been asked to go somewhere by her crush. She could have melted.

The smile that spread across her lips now was soft, one that held much fondness. Reaching forward she grabbed one of his hands, and pulled him up to a standing position. Kratos didn't resist the gesture. He wasn't one for any sort of displays of affection in public…or even at all, as Anna would often inform him, but at this moment he didn't seem to care about anything. He had even, before, gotten uncomfortable at her insisting on latching herself to his arm…but now he wouldn't mind it at all if she did. In a room full of people, they were the only ones there.

_Cause it's you and me and all of the people _

_With nothing to do, nothing to lose _

_And it's you and me and all of the people and _

_I don't know why I can't keep my eyes off of you _

Kratos was amazed at how entranced he was all of a sudden with the woman before him. She had turned her back to him, but was still holding his hand. Only now was he realizing the full potential of the power that she had over him. Of course, it was something he would never admit to her; she'd take advantage of it too often. But perhaps she already knew, and it was why she was doing what she was doing now. The mercenary was expecting some sort of snide remark or an antic to draw attention…but she didn't do either. Not this time. Perhaps there was a side of her that he had only caught glimpses of. At first it had been strange, to see her so calm and vulnerable. But perhaps that was the real Anna…and the one that he encountered on a regular basis was just an attempt to hide who she really was. What did she have to be afraid of? He realized that it was probably him. His cold nature had driven away many people, and yet she had persisted. Never would he forget the first time their eyes met…her sapphire blue ones were filled with such a hatred like he had never seen before. And she had intrigued him. So, here he was, being led across a room full of people by a woman whom he was only beginning to discover.

And he had thought that he had figured her out to a T. He had thought that he could predict her every action, her every word. It came so that even her unpredictable self became predictable for him. But not so much any more…here she was revealing a part of herself to him that went far deeper than the stubborn, loud-mouthed woman with a quick temper. That was the way she acted with the rest of the world. Maybe it was time he started acting a little more like a man around her, instead of the lifeless being that he had become.

_Something about you now _

_I can't quite figure out _

Letting go of his hand, she turned her head to make a comment to one of her friends. Kratos didn't catch it, for he was too enthralled with the beauty before him that nothing else seemed to matter. It was at this point that he began to notice the little things. The way she stood when before him, the way her mouth twitched when smiled. Her small mannerisms that most wouldn't pick up on he was beginning to see all of a sudden. It wasn't that he hadn't seen them before, but it was now that he was actually taking the time to notice them. The collar on her dress was high, to conceal the crystal. He noticed that even still she often had a hand there, sometimes subconsciously running a finger over it, though it was beneath the material. Soon she had turned back to him, the look in her eyes that was reserved for her friends faded, and that which was reserved only for him had returned. Kratos knew that at this moment she could do anything, and he'd still find her the most beautiful woman in the world. It had taken him four thousand years to find her, had it not?

_Everything she does is beautiful _

_Everything she does is right _

Of course, she also had to do something rash. He should have seen it coming, but in his state he hadn't seen the amused glint in her eye nor the playful smile on her lips.

"Dance with me." She said, her voice very soft, just audible so that he could hear it. There was a look on her face that he wasn't sure he had seen before. It held such love and admiration, that Kratos all of a sudden didn't know what to do with himself. This seemed to be a reoccurring trend for the night.

As the words hit him he blinked, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. "A-anna…" he stumbled. It was the first time in a long time that he had tripped over his words. His mind was scrambling for some sort of excuse, or even a flat out refusal. "I…I can't…" He wasn't going to finish the sentence.

Her eyes danced; she was clearly amused by this. "You've been around for four thousand years and you never learned to dance?"

He refused to respond.

She giggled, one hand covering her mouth. She looked much like a child. Kratos couldn't believe how she was affecting him now. Usually the way she was acting would set him off, pushing him to retreat into silence again. Mostly because he didn't even know how to deal with her. He wasn't a romantic sort, by any meaning of the word.

But something now told him that he should just submit to her request, or at least take her up in his arms and hold her and kiss her. He just couldn't bring himself to do it. Why? They were getting married, and still he was afraid of being pushed away. He was afraid of dealing with emotions, for they had been dead to him for a very long time.

Anna shook her head, and placed her hands on his chest. "Well, I'll just have to teach you then, won't I?"

Kratos shook his head. "No."

She raised an eyebrow at him. "No? Kratos, it was a rhetorical question. You weren't supposed to answer. And besides, the answer is 'yes', so it doesn't matter anyways. Now, you're supposed to hold me like this." She took one of his hands and set it on her waist, and she held the other up. "See? Not so bad."

The look on his face indicated that he was none too impressed. However, he fought all urges to just leave her there and he tolerated her behaviour. At first he was very stiff, but he then allowed himself to relax. It wasn't like they were the only ones dancing (or attempting to) so he figured it would be alright.

There was, however, at least one pair of eyes that was fixed on them. It was that of Gregory, her ex. Suddenly Kratos felt a swell of pride within him; that smug feeling when that came with the knowledge that one had something that the other would never get. He made it a case not to look directly at the other man, who was finally dragged to the dance floor himself by his wife.

Time seemed to slow again as Kratos allowed himself to be taken in by the moment. Never in his life did he ever imagine himself in this position, and he knew that if anyone that knew him saw him he'd never live it down. He could just hear the jeering words of Yuan. Then again, he imagined that the half elf would also be hiding a tone of disdain and jealousy, for Kratos now had what Yuan had so desperately wanted. He suddenly found that Anna was considerably closer to him, her forehead now resting against his shoulder. For a moment he wasn't quite sure what to do, but she didn't stop dancing (to his dismay) so neither did he.

But everything seemed to disappear again, for Kratos had become lost in it all. All he was really aware of was the woman that he now held. His senses became dead to all but her soft breathing and her gentle heartbeat. Finally he relaxed fully, which was clearly the right thing to do for she had responded by relaxing herself. Instinctively the arm that had been resting on her waist moved a little further over, so that his hand was now on the small of her back. All of this time had been living with the feeling that he somehow had to prove himself to her. At first it was that he wasn't like the rest of those that he worked with. Then it had been that he was also still human, and now it was that even though he was still human he still had more power than most. Or perhaps it was that he was too strong to be swayed by the things of the world. But now he was beginning to realize that she didn't really care about these things. Opening up was something he did not do very well, but he saw now that it was what she was constantly pushing him to do. She wanted him to be as he was before the transformation…four thousand years ago.

_Cause it's you and me and all of the people _

_With nothing to do, nothing to prove _

_And it's you and me and all of the people and _

_I don't know why I can't keep my eyes off of you _

The sensation was beginning to overwhelm him, but the feeling was not unwanted. His head had tilted downwards some, and he seemed to be staring into nothing. His mind was raging, and he didn't feel the need to bring it back to reality. However the small voice of the woman he was holding broke him momentarily from his thoughts. Anna had tightened her grip on him, as if she was desperate for him not to let go.

"Thank you…" She whispered. She knew that he would pick up on it. The tone of her voice had changed from its usual assertive note, and he thought that she suddenly sounded as a helpless child. Something broke within him. He was about to ask why she would thank him, but she spoke again.

"I know you didn't want to…and it means a lot to me that you did…" she almost sounded as if she were going to cry.

Kratos took in a deep breath, and he suddenly realized that the woman he was holding was just that; a woman. She needed his attention, his love. As much as he didn't like to give it for the sake of his own pride, she needed it. He didn't even understand how their relationship had come to be as it was, for he knew now that he had really done nothing. At least, he could have done so much more for her than he had. Perhaps it was time to start treating her like she deserved to be treated. One would think that in such a lifetime as his he would pick up on a few things. No; instead he had retreated to the safety of his own self. Sharing his life with another person scared him, but now he felt that he was willing to do this. He felt that asking her to marry him, even though it was insanity in all sense of the word, had not been a mistake. There would be many challenges ahead of them, one of them being making sure Anna survived long enough to get the rune crest. She did not speak again, and Kratos felt that he should say something.

"Only for you", was all he said, and Anna felt as if she were going to melt.

He knew he had said the right thing when she held him even tighter and placed her head in the crook of his neck. And he meant it. He had become so captured by this woman, and he knew that he couldn't, no matter how many times she dogged him or drove him to wit's end, let it go. She was one of a kind, and he was finally realizing this.

All of these things were things he really had known before, but it had never really hit him as it had that night. Never again would he take her for granted. Perhaps it would be the start of something new in their relationship.

And he still had no idea what time it was.

_What day is it _

_And in what month _

_This clock never seemed so alive  
_

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Calmer of the Storm: So yeah, that's it. Lot's of fluff! Just a spur-of-the-moment dealy…hope it wasn't too bad…


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